BSOD in Vista 32bit after installing Phenom 2 940 BE

[Leu16]

Hi all,
Today i got the new AMD Phenom 2 940 BE in the mail. I flashed the bios to the latest update to support this processor on my MSI K9N2 SLI Platinum. 30 seconds after i log into Vista, I get the BSOD...time and time again. I thought there was a minuscule chance it could be from me overclocking with the multiplier, but after setting it back to stock, it still did it. I also set my OCZ Reaper 1066MHz ram to 1066 from 800.
I have not really encountered any problems when running the Windows 7 Ultimate Beta, that is on my other HDD.....that is where it has got me confused. Why Vista, and not 7?

Has anyone had this particular problem, even if it was after installing a regular Phenom? If so, can you lead me on how to find a fix? Thanks

 

[nsimo86]

Are you saying that you are overclocking your ram to 1066 from 800?

 

[Malovane]

Could have bought 1066, but then the CPU downclocked them to 800.

Phenoms can only run 2 sticks at 1066. Anything more, and it will give you memory instability issues. Or, I should say, at least it will give you issues with Vista. It's entirely possible that 4 sticks at 1066 will work with XP and Windows 7. My 9850 did it with XP. Vista is just the soup nazi of memory.

It's fine to have them run at 800 though. The performance difference is negligible as lower speeds can mean tighter timings, and AMD systems have plenty of bandwidth as it is. I run 4 2GB sticks of DDR2-800 with my Phenom 2 940, and it benches pretty much the same as with my 2 2GB sticks of DDR2-1066. In the end I kept the DDR2-800 in my system.

 

[amdfangirl]

Memory quantity affects speed than memory speed.

 

[Leu16]

I bought 2 2Gb sticks of OCZ Reaper 1066meg ram, so just running 4 gigs total. When i put them in the system initially, i was still running a 5400+ BE processor....and they MB set the memory to 800meg automatically, since you need a phenom in the board to get the full 1066.

As soon as i popped the new CPU in, i changed the memory ratio in the BIOS to 1:2.7, which brought it to 1066MHz. It is nice to know that if i put anymore in the system, that Vista really wouldn't like it, since i use Vista from time to time. Suppose i could drop it back to 800MHz and see where it goes..... From there, i will know if i have to set it lower for one OS than the other. Thanks for your help, i will post the results later.

In the mean time, if there are any other possible reasons anyone can think of, i would appreciate the info.

 

[mike99]

Run Memtest86+ to check all is OK. Open Device Manager in Vista and check that CPU driver has been changed to 4 entries for Phenom ll.

Mike.

 

[blackpanther26]

I take it you hade another CPU befor the 940. Do a CMOS Clear. Somthing with Vista after instaling new CPU's tend to BSOD on the first start up with the CPU. If not I'm afriad you'll have to reinstal Vista.

 

[Bauerpower]

I had the same problem going from a 4000 x2 to the 9600 and I had to reinstall, now i have the problem again going from the 9600 to a Ph2 940. Vista just does not like a processor change. Even if the last processor has the same amount of cores. And it is the processor. I changed motherboards on this system from a asus m3a32mpv delux to a msi k9a2 platnum and booting was not a problem. Its got something to do with the way vista selects how i talks to the cpu. Once it is set once you install it cannot be changed. Well I hope it can be changed as I dont want to reinstall again. Im in japan this week and I live in australia so once im back ill sort this out.